Orthopaedic Specialist, Disorders of the Shoulder and Elbow

""I listen carefully, and I explain treatment options clearly so my patients can be active, informed participants in their recoveries.""

A Colorado native, Dr. Benjamin Sears received his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He then went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Pharmacology from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. In 2005, he graduated from Loyola University Medical School in Chicago, earning his Doctor of Medicine degree and graduating in the top third of his class.

Dr. Sears stayed at Loyola University to complete his surgical residency in Orthopaedics. At Loyola, one of the busiest Level 1 trauma centers in Chicago, Dr. Sears became comfortable in managing acute trauma and fracture care throughout the entire skeleton. He published several original articles on the relationship of the immune-inflammatory response to orthopaedic trauma management. Dr. Sears’ article, “Binge alcohol exposure modulates rodent expression of biomarkers of the immunoinflammatory response to orthopaedic trauma,” was published in the esteemed Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) in 2011. At Loyola, Dr. Sears received formal training in surgical treatments of the hand, hip, knee and sports injuries, and trained under Dr. Guido Marra, developing an interest in advanced shoulder and elbow surgery.

Following his residency, Dr. Sears was selected to receive advanced training in shoulder and elbow surgery at the prestigious Rothman Institute of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, in Philadelphia, PA. During his fellowship, Dr. Sears trained with some of the most renowned shoulder and elbow surgeons in the country, including Drs. Gerald Williams, Mark Lazarus, Matthew Ramsey, John Fenlin and Charles Getz. This fellowship enabled Dr. Sears to gain vast experience in the clinical and surgical treatment of all facets of shoulder and elbow surgery, ranging from standard rotator cuff repair, to complex primary and revision shoulder and elbow replacements. This training included open and arthroscopic surgical techniques in both the shoulder and elbow.

During fellowship, Dr. Sears developed a special interest in elbow surgery and sought out additional experience and training in treatment of elbow injuries and pathology. He subsequently completed two observational fellowships with some of the most renowned elbow surgeons in the world: Drs. Bernard Morrey and Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and Dr. Graham King at the McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Ontario, Canada. This additional training provided Dr. Sears advanced skill in all aspects of elbow surgery, from complex fractures and dislocations, to elbow arthroscopy, to advanced reconstructive procedures including total elbow replacement and biologic interpositional arthroplasty.

After being in practice for three years, Dr. Sears joined Western Orthopaedics in 2014. In addition to their clinical practices, Dr. Sears and Dr. Armodios Hatzadakis work together, along with their full time clinical research staff, to contribute to advancements in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery. Their ongoing research includes the publication of original research articles as well as leading several FDA clinical trials evaluating the use of pyrocarbon resurfacing technology in shoulder replacements and the clinical use of stemless joint implants.

Dr. Sears is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a candidate member in the American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) and is a reviewer for the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (JSES).

My Approach to Treating Patients

Dr. Sears’ practice focuses primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder and elbow injuries and conditions, although he also evaluates patients with fractures, hand injuries, and knee injuries. He chose to gain advanced training in shoulder and elbow surgery because of his interest in the complexity of these joints. He strives to use his accomplished background in treating shoulder and elbow injuries to help his patients increase their physical activity and participate in activities that fulfill their lives. He loves to help patients get back to doing activities they enjoy without pain or limitations.